Sourdough Rye Bread has a complex flavor thanks to the sourdough starter, rye flour and a little dash of malt syrup. Start the night before to have fresh bread for lunch.
I’m a huge fan of rye bread in just about any form. I love my Overnight Rye Bread made with commercial yeast, and my super thin and crunchy Sourdough Rye Crispbread. If you’re a rye fan, for a real treat try making a savory pie or galette with Rye Pie Dough.
I grew up in central New Jersey (yes, there is such a place as central Jersey!) and being so close to New York it was easy to find a good deli and really great rye bread.
Where I live now, not so much. So, Sourdough Rye Bread is always homemade in our house. But it’s so easy to make overnight there’s no reason not to make it yourself.
If you don’t have one, you can learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter. Then I can show you how to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter or How to Keep a Small Sourdough Starter.
This recipe takes more than 12 hours in total, but the vast majority of the time is hands-off.
Tips for making Sourdough Rye Bread:
- Start with an active starter. To test if your sourdough starter is active and ready to use, drop a dollop into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s ready to go.
- Create a sponge using the starter, water and some of the flour. Allow the sponge to rest for 30-60 minutes before mixing the dough. This rest gives the gluten a head start in forming a strong network.
- The fermentation time for the dough will vary based on the ambient temperature of the room and the temperature of your dough. The dough will start out fairly dense. It should be quite aerated and elastic by the end of the 3 hour fermentation.
- If the dough is very cool and sluggish you can set the bowl over a bowl of warm water to warm it up a bit.
- The time for the final proof can also vary. The bread should be almost doubled in size and if you poke the dough the dent should slowly fill in. If the dough springs right back when poked it’s not quite ready.
- Sourdough Rye Bread stays fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days. Slice and freeze for longer storage.
Scroll Through the step by step photos to see how to make Sourdough Rye Bread:
A timeline for making Sourdough Rye Bread:
- If your starter needs feeding, do that the night before or early in the morning of the day you want to make the dough.
- Mix the dough in the afternoon and refrigerate the dough in the evening before going to bed.
- Take the dough out first thing in the morning and shape the loaf.
- Leave the loaf at room temperature to rise for 1 1/2- 2 hours.
- You should have fresh bread by lunch time.
- To make and bake the dough in the same day, start the dough early in the morning and it should be ready to bake by late in the afternoon or early evening.
Since you’ve got your starter fed, peruse the entire list of My Best Sourdough Recipes. Have fun!
I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.
Sourdough Rye Bread
Yield: 1 large or 2 small loaves
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Rising Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 45 minutes
Start the night before to have fresh bread for lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz, 224) active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 1 1/2 cups (12 oz, 375ml) warm water
- 1 cup (5oz, 145g) stone ground rye flour
- 2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz, 350g) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon malt syrup
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Combine the starter, water, rye flour and 1 cup of the bread flour. Mix with the paddle on low speed until it forms a thick batter. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30-60 minutes.
- If using a stand mixer, change to the dough hook. Add the malt syrup, salt and the rest of the bread flour and mix until the dough begins to clean the bottom of the bowl and form a ball around the hook. If the dough is still extremely sticky and does not clear the sides of the bowl, you can add up to 1/4 cup more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If mixing by hand add as much of the bread flour as you can then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and finish kneading in the rest of the flour.
- Knead for 3-4 minutes on medium speed or 4-5 minutes by hand. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl and set it aside at room temperature.
- After 30 minutes uncover the bowl, lift one side of the dough and fold it into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. You're basically turning the dough inside-out to redistribute the yeast. Cover the bowl and after 30 minutes repeat the procedure. Cover the bowl and after 60 minutes repeat the procedure again.
- Cover the bowl and after 60 minutes knead the dough, return it to the bowl. By now the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature. Cover tightly and refrigerate over night.
- Remove from refrigerator and dump the cold dough onto floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with 1 tablespoon caraway seeds and knead to distribute the seeds
- If you want two smaller loaves, divide the dough in half. Knead the dough into a smooth ball then taper two ends to form an oblong football shape. If baking in a Dutch oven form the dough into a round ball.
- Place on a wooden peel or sheet pan sprinkled liberally with corn meal. If you want to bake the bread in a Dutch oven place the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave in a warm place until doubled in size and it springs back slowly when poked, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F. If you have a baking stone preheat that in the oven. If you want to bake the bread in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot put that in the oven to preheat.
- Make 5 diagonal slashes in the dough with a single edge razor or very sharp knife. Brush dough with egg white and sprinkle with the other tablespoon of caraway seeds.
- Slide the dough onto the preheated stone or slide the sheet pan into the oven. The bread is ready when tapping the bottom of the loaf produces a hollow sound, or use a probe thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 190°-200°F. Baking time is about 35 minutes.
- If using the Dutch oven to bake follow these directions: Remove the preheated pan from the oven and remove the lid. Use the parchment paper to lift the loaf into the Dutch oven. If you don't have a Dutch oven, slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Replace the lid on the pot and slide it into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid from the Dutch oven. The loaf should be well risen and pale in color. Continue baking another 20 minutes until the loaf is nicely browned and beginning to crisp. Remove the pan from the oven. Use the parchment to lift the loaf out of the pan. Use the parchment to place the loaf directly onto the rack in the oven. Bake another 5-10 minutes until the loaf is deeply browned and very crisp. Total baking time is about 40-50 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
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Mimi
This is a great rye recipe. I’ve been looking for an easy one to use my sourdough
starter that made a soft(ish) loaf. I do bake it in my Lodge pot like
my other sourdough loaves and it came out perfectly. thanks!
Eileen Gray
Thanks for the feedback, Mimi!
Jackie
I made my rye bread using this recipe and it was wonderful. I baked it on my baking stone. If I used my DO instead, would I use the same temperature, baking time, lid on or off? Thanks
Eileen Gray
If you bake it in a Dutch Oven I would preheat the DO in a 425F oven. When I use a Dutch oven for bread I like to bake it for 20 minutes with the lid on, 20 minutes with the lid off and then about 5-10 minutes straight on the oven rack to finish browning and crisping the crust. In fact, thanks for this question because I will add Dutch oven directions to this recipe.
Jackie
Thank you.
cheryl guiteras
great recipe. I will b using it weekly.
Eileen Gray
Wonderful! I love this bread. It makes the BEST tuna sandwiches.
Michelle
This is the closest recipe I’ve found to the Polish rye bread we used to get from a local bakery when I was a kid! Love it!
Eileen Gray
Thanks for the feedback!
Emily
Hi! Thanks for this beautiful recipe!
Quick question: I am in the process of growing a whole grain rye 100% hydration starter. Should I only bake rye bread recipes with a rye starter or can I use my rye starter to try some of your other sourdough recipes as well?
Thanks!
Eileen Gray
I think you can use the rye starter for any recipe. It will change the flavor, but I’m guessing that’s a bonus, right? I LOVE the flavor of rye flour and think it will add great flavor to almost any recipe. Now you gave me an idea to maybe try making rye sourdough donuts!
Emily
I am very interested in that idea! 🙂 Thanks for the helpful response!
Jeanette T
I took a little of my rye starter and fed it with 90% bread flour and 10% dark rye flour about 3 feeds. Used it in a SD recipe that was 25% whole wheat and 75% bread flours. It was delish.
Eileen Gray
Sounds good!
Roo
That was a fun recipe! Though if I were to do it again I wouldn’t have put all the water in. I had to fold mine so much to get it to a decent consistency. Also on the great British baking show they didn’t advise to use egg wash on bread since it darkens faster than the bread itself and fools you into believing the bread is done sooner than it really is. This bread had a beautiful color on its own especially that it has rye in it.
Thank you so much for the recipe! I got a beautiful rise out of it. I’m waiting for it to cool. I have been watching a bunch of bread making classes through the quarantine and they were saying for rye bread you have to wait 24-48 hrs before you cut it. That’s not happening!! Can’t wait to cut into it!!!
Eileen Gray
Well I’ve never in my life waited that long to cut any bread! Maybe a bread made with just rye flour and no wheat flour. Those are specialty breads that behave very differently that typical rye bread.
Leenah
This looks so good! I do have a question. I’ve been doing sourdough every week for awhile, trying different recipes. Also reading and learning which leads me to ask: is this a thin starter (100%hydration) or a stiff starter? I’ve tried both but find the thin starter easier to work with and gives better results.
So I ran into a starter type mismatch recently on a recipe for a mini lemon olive oil cake with sourdough discard. The starter type was not specified but the description of the batter consistency said thick. Since mine was runny and I’ve made enough cakes to know that, I was able to simply stir in a few tablespoons of flour (& cornstarch to influence a more delicate crumb than the all purpose flour called for) and visually see the correct thickness. It came out great so I guess they were using a stiff starter. Now I’m worried when I don’t see the type/hydration of a starter. Adjusting on the fly for using the wrong starter and having the wrong hydration/texture to work with would not be as easy to do in a bread dough and probably would not turn out fine if one tried fixing it part of way thru the recipe.
Eileen Gray
It’s a great question, Leenah. I do use a 100% hydration starter and all my sourdough recipes are written with that as the basis. You bring up a good point that perhaps I need to specify in the recipes the type of starter used.
Sien Fen
Hello! Can I replace malt syrup with honey? Thank you! 🙂
Eileen Gray
Yes, either honey or a mix of honey and molasses.
Gert Steyn
Great recipy for first timer! Started around 10 am with the proses. Used 1 rye, 1 nutty wheat & 1 1/2 white flour with Rye starter. Exchanged molasse for brown sugar, no eggs, and only let it rest for 8 hours ( not in the fridge) Came out wonderfully brown and delicious!! Thanks for the recipe. Next round going to try with sweat potato!
Kathleen Lindroth
Would someEinkorn whole wheat work in this recipe and how much could be used? I’ve made this recipe twice and it has turned out very well. I do have to add a bit more flour than suggested. I also use my mixer to knead in the caraway seeds.
Eileen Gray
Sure. You can replace a portion of the rye flour with the whole wheat flour to make a “multi-grain” bread.
Camille
If I halve the dough into two smaller loaves, is the baking time the same? Also, I will be baking mine on a sheet pan and a lot sourdough bread recipes say to put a pan of water in the oven to create steam to produce a nice crust. Is this something you recommend for this recipe? Thank you!
Eileen Gray
If the loaves are smaller the baking time will likely be shorter. But the baking time is always an estimate. Start checking 10 minutes before the time listed and judge more by how the loaves look and feel than by time. If you’ve got a probe thermometer the interior of the loaf should be about 200F. Steam will help create a nice crust so go for it if you can. But it’s fine if you don’t have steam. Rye bread gets a nice shiny crust from the egg white.
Concetta Matosian
Hi
Do I need to put it in the refrigerator or can I bake it after rising for about 4 hrs?
Thanks:)
Eileen Gray
The refrigeration step does improve the flavor and texture, but the bread will still be tasty if baked the same day.
Hailie
Hi there
Is there anyway to do this without the active dry yeast? Or would it not turn out as nicely
Thanks
Eileen Gray
Not sure what your question is. There is no dry yeast in this recipe.
Lynn Ahringer
I’ve been making sourdough bread for about a year and would like to try your recipe for sourdough rye. From the reading I’ve done the grind, fine or coarse, can impact the amount of liquid the rye flour absorbs. What brand flour do you use? Thank you!!
Eileen Gray
I use Hodgeson Mills Whole Grain rye flour.
Ann
This is an excellent rye bread recipe. Perfect texture and flavour. Your recipes are amazing.
Eileen Gray
Thanks!
Vivian
Hi! Can you omit the malt syrup?
Eileen Gray
Yes, or you can use honey or molasses instead.
JM
Hello. Thanks for the recipe. Can this be baked in a loaf pan?
Thanks.
J.
Eileen Gray
It makes quite a large loaf. It would probably be a little too big for a loaf pan unless you divide it in 2 and bake in 2 pans.
Frances Sculley
I am making the rye bread for the 2nd time in the Dutch oven. I began my sourdough starter and bread making at the beginning of the pandemic . I have made the boule, whole wheat honey, sandwich bread and the rolls, we love them all!! Your web site has made my bread making so easy, before I found you I almost gave up so thank you from my family and I! I have one small question, I am trying to eliminate disposable products from my home, when the directions say cover tightly and refrigerate, is it safe to use a bowl cover? I have been using satan wrap but would prefer not to. Thanks!
Eileen Gray
Yes, you can use a bowl cover. Just make sure the surface of the dough has a coating of oil on it so you don’t get a crust on the outside of the dough.
Zani
Hi there.
This is my first attempt at making sourdough bread.
Is it possible to overwork this dough?
I am concerned that my bread will turn out like a brick.
Thanks
Eileen Gray
It’s pretty hard to overwork the dough. The biggest challenge is usually getting enough lift from the starter and handling a wetter douggh.
Jim Smith
Hi Eileen, I left you a well deserved 5 start review on this recipe a few days ago but it hasn’t been published. Any idea what i did wrong. Thanks Jim
Eileen Gray
Hi Jim. The reviews are published automatically. I see you left a 5-star review on my “How to Maintain a Small Starter” post. So, thanks! If you want to also review the Sourdough Rye I’d very much appreciate it.
Kristina
Hi!
I finally succeeded in getting the sourdough starter going (according to your recipe) and tried this as my first bake. Unfortunately the mix didn’t want to hold its shape at all. It rose beautifully in the bowl but was very soft. It came out of the fridge firm the next day but once I folded in the caraway seeds and tried to shape it, it just spread across the pan during proofing. I checked my wheat flour and it has %12 protein so it should be ok to use for bread flour right? (I’m currently in Austria and we use very different labelling here). I also added about two heaped tablespoons while mixing as I already thought it seemed a little soft. Once baked the inside was beautiful and airy but overall just a very flat, thin loaf.
What can I do differently? Thanks!
Eileen Gray
It sounds like you didn’t get good gluten development so the loaf couldn’t hold it’s shape. Did you give the mix a 30-60 minute rest as instructed in step 1? Did you do all the folds? I find that the last step where you shape the dough into a ball and then an oval is very important. You really need to get a nice tight and firm skin on the dough so it can hold it’s shape well. Next time, form the dough into a ball and cover it for 20 minutes. If it goes flat right away you know it’s not going to hold it’s shape. It’s hard to describe, but to shape the dough into the ball you use both hands in a back and forth swirling motion. I cup the dough between my two hands, with the sides of my hands on the surface. Push the dough back and forth between your hands with a slight swirl. This will cause the dough to pull tight across the surface forming that tight skin. It’s not the exact same motion, but in my Sourdough bagel video you can see how I form the dough into a ball using one hand. But it’s the same basic swirling motion. Also, I’m not sure if rye flour is the same in Austria so I can’t say if that would have an affect.
Sandra
Hi there. Just asking/confirming if the tablespoon and teaspoon measurements are US imperial?
Eileen Gray
Yes.
Elsa Soderberg
Hi, just asking in the directions when you say to repeat the procedure for the folding and resting, do you mean do a second round of the full 30 minutes, fold, 30 minutes, fold, 60, fold or just another fold after the final 60 minutes? From step 4.
Eileen Gray
Repeat the folding procedure every hour for a total of about 3-4 hours. If the dough is still not elastic and airy after 3 or 4 hours give it another hour or so at room temp. The total time will vary based on the activity in your starter, the temp of the dough and the ambient temp.
Tory
Hey! Great recipe – I’m a lazy baker and hate kneading, preferring the “no-knead” long overnight room temp rise method. Just a heads up – I tried that with your recipe and it was AMAZING. Kept all ingredients proportions the same, just subbed molasses for the malt. My starter is a bit eclectic but awesome (mostly whole wheat but about 1/5 buckwheat flour by weight and has also had some all-purpose in the past). I simply stirred all ingredients together in the evening, covered bowl, and went to bed. In the morning (after 8-10 hours), I dumped dough out onto floured surface, kneaded in the caraway seeds via the gentle stretch and fold method (maybe 8ish folds), shaped and popped onto parchment. Then let rise another 1.5-2h at room temperature. Preheated oven+Dutch oven, scored bread and popped it in with its parchment, then baked per your instructions. SO EASY and husband RAVED – demanded repeat production ASAP. Fabulous fresh with butter at dinner, for delicious sandwiches, or as toast for breakfast – versatile and flavorful.. Favorite loaf I have tried to date. THANK you!
Eileen Gray
Awesome!
Dora
I tried this method cause it seemed easy enough. Maybe because I used a rye starter, but after 8 hours it looked way overfermented, I could barely form it it was so sticky, and once I slashed the top (trying to put it in the oven asap, after half an hour), it completely deflated. Now it is barely rising if any, I’m afraid I will have to throw it out. I try again today with a 4 hour ferment time, already mixed the starter again.
Eileen Gray
The recipe instructions have you put the dough in the refrigerator over night. Form the loaf in the morning and then leave it to rise. At what point was it over fermented? It should ferment at room temp on day 1 and then go in the fridge for the night. Do you mean it looked over fermented coming out of the fridge in the am? Even if it rose dramatically over night when you knead in the seeds and form the loaf it should loose some of the excess air.
Dora
I meant I used Tory’s no knead method instead of your instructions. I just mixed everything and let it rise overnight for 8 hours. It was around three times it’s original sizes, and very sticky and wet. Even using excessive amounts of water and then flour to shape it, it constantly stack to the kitchen counter and was so soft that it barely hold it’s shape. I couldn’t even lift it into the pan without it sticking to my hand a bit and losing the shape again slightly. Then I slashed the top and it completely deflated. It did rise a tiny bit but the inside is gummy a bit and has a middle part where it is basically dough because it didn’t expand at all. Maybe it is the rye flour I use, I can only buy whole grain here, and the wheat was more AP, I think around 11.5% protein. Today I try to knead it and bake it after around 4-5 hours.
Gloria
I am mostly a ‘no-knead’ person, too. Just little time to do all the SnF’s. Thanks for letting me know that!
Vikke
I’m making my second loaf now. The first one was delicious! I too had to add way more than 1/4 cup of flour when using the dough hook. This time I am going to bake it in my lidless 14x4x4 pullman pan so it will be better for sandwiches. I wonder though, can the caraway seeds be added in the first mix? Why fold them in later when the dough is cold and very stiff?
Neil
Am in the middle of making this recipe and so far so good! Question: because of how the timing has worked out — and because I’ve had success doing so with other sourdough recipes — would it be ok give this shape this into a loaf and then let it spend overnight in the fridge a second time before going into the oven? Thanks in advance!
Eileen Gray
Do you mean leave it overnight, take it out and shape it, then put it back in the fridge again to bake the third day? If that is your question I would say to shape the dough late in evening of the day before you want to bake. I think a shaped loaf spending 24 hours in the fridge might over rise. If you mean at the end of the first day you shape it before going in the fridge instead of in the morning, that would work too.
Holly
Hi! I made this loaf today and it’s quite tasty! Mine had a more dense crumb than what is shown in your photos. I’m wondering if you think this dough could ferment longer in the fridge…perhaps 24-48 hours instead of 8-12.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Eileen Gray
Yes, you could leave it in the fridge for up to 2 days. To retain some of the air achieved during fermentation, use a light hand when shaping the loaf. I know that’s hard when you’re adding the seeds.
azad
Thank you for this recipe, and your detailed instructions This is the third time I am making this and have really enjoyed it.
Deb
Made recipe with 100% hydration starter, that has all purpose and whole wheat flour equal parts. I have not been able to find bread flour in our rural local stores. Night before I removed starter from jar and added 1/2 C stone ground rye and 1/2 C warm water to starter . It had a good reaction . I then followed rest of your instruction until after removal of dough from refrigerator, I placed my dough into basket instead of dutch oven so that I could pre heat the dutch oven while dough was resting. I placed the dough basket with damp towel on top on top of my stove while heating oven for 1 1/2 hrs at 425. The dough is still cold, rose very little , but dent in top remained instead of filling. I rested dough for 1/2 more hour on stove top without the damp cloth, no rise at all. The rise prior to refrigeration was very nice, but after kneed last time prior to overnight refrigeration seemed to knock the gas out of it and it remained silent. Any ideas?
Eileen Gray
It’s always hard to say without seeing the actual dough. If your starter was nice and active I can’t imagine that the dough would peter out for lack of yeast activity. Rye dough behaves a bit differently than white dough in that it might not be quite as springy when you poke it. It is strange that there is no rise at all even after moving it to a warmer spot. It’s been an hour and a half since you wrote. Did you try baking it? If it’s still not baked you can try re-kneading and shaping to see if that kick-starts the yeast.
Deb
I tried this recipe a second time. Followed instructions, the dough is very damp I also needed much more than 1/4 cup to remove from the bowl and it was still sticky. After the 4th proof the dough was very inflated, lots of bubbles, but did not hold shape,After refrigeration overnight I added fennel seed (what I had) in fold over method and reshaped to ball placed on parchment placed in basket with damp cloth cover in warm place for 1 1/2 hours. It rose, but spread out , it barely fit in dutch oven. I can’t get this to hold it’s shape, used the method you describe for forming ball, it is still sticky had to use additional flour to handle it. evidently there is a lot of gluten here as it has good string and yeast is active with many bubbles in dough. We love the taste, but the loaf ends up fairly flat in the end.
Eileen Gray
The dough will start out very sticky, you can see the photo in the post of the dough after it comes out of the bowl, it’s quite slack and sticky. In my experience, by the time the 3-5 hours of fermentation is done the dough is quite resilient. Did you make any flour substitutions? Are you using predominantly bread flour with just a cup of rye flour?
Deb
I took my dutch oven out of oven and placed the dough in it waited 1/2 hour longer and baked as per instructions on dutch oven, It rose a bit more yet also spread out some.. When I tested bread after baking on rack it was only 200 F. in center so baked 15 min more still 215, so 10 min more still 215 It was a nice brown so I removed from oven and covered with a towel let cool down and sliced it. It was still a bit damp in center, but had some nice pockets or bubbles and tasted wonderful. I am getting the first proof ready for another loaf today. I have been a yeast bread baker for several years and may have had a bit heavy hand when kneading also out of habit punched down the dough before the refrigeration step. I am going to use the fold over method this time see if that helps.
Eileen Gray
I find sourdough so fascinating because it is a bit less predictable than regular yeast baking. Personally, I don’t cover the bread while it’s cooling because I like to preserve the crisp crust.
Ffs
Would you let me read the content on your bloody website without a hundred popups???!
Eileen Gray
Sorry, I can’t afford to work for free.
Deb Murphy
Thanks for this delicious recipe. Just to clarify, I’m im assuming water is added in the first step when combining starter and one cup of bread flour? In the caption under the photograph, water is not mentioned.
Eileen Gray
Yes, as stated in the recipe steps, the water is added in the first step. I’ve updated the caption on the photo to make it more clear.